Seven Years Later
by Tori Shiroi
Summary: Yuzuriha and Kusanagi meet again after a parting. It's seven years after the events of the TV series. Just a small piece of white & fluffy cuteness to raise the mood.


SEVEN YEARS LATER

A tall sturdy man in the olive green dress uniform of a 1st Lieutenant of Japanese Self-Defense Forces was walking down the park alley. Most curiously, he had a tiny pot in his hand, a small rose bush growing in it.

The man was going to meet an old friend of his and stopped at the spot where they first met. He was sure the person he was waiting for would come here. It's been an old custom between them: when they were going to meet, both would say "at the park" and nothing more; both knew the exact spot without specifying.

The Lieutenant looked at the sunset sky turning pink and smiled at the memory of how it all started seven years ago. The wistful smile made his rather harsh features seem softer and gentler. He lowered his gaze to the small plant he held and sighed.

- Kusanagi-san! Kusana-a-a-agi! - a joyful yell and the clattering of small heels reached his ears. The Lieutenant raised his head and a happy smile graced his face, as he watched the familiar delicate frame hastily approaching him. The miniature raven-haired girl threw herself onto his neck, having nearly ruined the flower. The huge wolf-like dog that accompanied her waved his tail, greeting his mistress' old friend.

- I'm so happy! - The girl's eyes glittered with tears but a broad smile shone on her face. - I haven't seen you for so long! Letters are nice, of course, but still…  
- Nice to see you, too… Yuzuriha-san, - Kusanagi stuttered a little at the unfamiliar title. – Here, that's for you. - He handed her the pot with the small bush. – You'd better transplant it into a larger pot, it will outgrow this one soon.  
The girl gingerly took the plant covered with small half-open buds, and raised her wide dark-gray eyes at Kusanagi.

- It's so pretty, Kusanagi-san… But are you sure it doesn't mind being… well.. given over like this? – she frowned and looked at the plant as if it could answer.  
Kusanagi chuckled.  
- It said it didn't. Also, they say beautiful flowers and beautiful girls go along pretty well. - he winked.  
Yuzuriha blushed a little.  
- All right then. _Domou arigatou_. – She paused. - You know, you never gave me flowers before, Kusanagi-san.

The tall officer scratched the back of his head under the uniform cap.  
- Well, we haven't seen each other for so long. So I guess today's a special occasion. _You don't know how special it is, my Missy,_ he added inwardly.  
- I see… - A shy yet cunning smile appeared on Yuzuriha's gentle face. - You… you're so handsome in this uniform of yours, Kusanagi-san.  
- Oh… Indeed?… - Kusanagi thought it best to change the subject. - It's you who's really pretty.

It was true. The little girl with whom he used to go out for ice cream has turned into a charming young lady. Now a little taller and with the shapes of a woman, she didn't change much in looks though. Same smooth raven-black hair, same slender figure with a waist that Kusanagi could enfold in his hands… But something new appeared about her, the invisible and elusive thing that distinguishes a child from a woman. Childhood was over, Yuzuriha was a grown-up now. But the look of her eyes directed at Kusanagi, was the same look of a fourteen-year-old girl who naively and sincerely confessed her first love. As usual, Kusanagi felt his heart ache at the sight of these wide shining eyes. But now the bittersweet feeling in his chest did not want to calm down and turn into quiet sadness as it had used to, but instead grew stronger and warmer. Kusanagi wasn't surprised. He would often catch himself on this feeling since then.

They were walking down the alley in silence, Yuzuriha's hand in his, and for the first time in long months he felt completely at peace.

- Yuzuriha-san… - He finally broke the silence.  
- Yes?  
- Let's go sit down, like old times.

They sat on the same bench, near which Kusanagi used to feed pigeons. The bench may not have been the same but it stood on the same spot nevertheless. Yuzuriha put the rose bush Kusanagi had given her on her lap, and cast a sidelong look at her companion. Kusanagi-san, her beloved Kusanagi-san, so serious and handsome in this uniform… After he'd been transferred on the military base at Itami, near Osaka, and she had graduated from college and entered the Tokyo University, they had few opportunities to be together. Of course, Sergeant Major and then the officer Shiyuu Kusanagi came to Tokyo at his leave warrants, but these were not too frequent. Yuzuriha smiled joyfully, enjoying his long-missed company.

- The sunset is great, isn't it, Yuzuriha-san? - asked Kusanagi, gazing at the already orange sky and thin fire-bronze clouds.  
- Yes! - Yuzuriha eagerly nodded.  
- Look, Yuzuriha-san… - Lieutenant began hesitatingly, his eyes still fixed on the horizon. - How long do I know you? Seven years, isn't it?

Yuzuriha nodded again.

- I was very lucky to know you all that time. Looking back, I think it's probably been the best time of my life, even despite the war. - Kusanagi finally turned to the girl. - Do you remember what you've told me then, before?

Though the question was pretty indistinct, Yuzuriha understood. Her heart began beating faster and her cheeks flushed. Seven years ago, when the two of them were part of the fateful battle that was to determine the world's destiny, the 14-year-old and naïve Yuzuriha made a declaration of her love to Kusanagi. Certainly she did remember that day. She would never forget it.

- Of course I do, Kusanagi-san.

Kusanagi's serious face became even more strained.

- Yuzuriha-san… Do you… do you still love me?  
- Kusanagi-san! I love you, I love you very much! And I will always love you! - Yuzuriha exclaimed wide-eyed, almost scared at the thought that Kusanagi-san could put her feelings in doubt.

For a few moments Kusanagi just watched the girl, beautiful as ever. All love and tenderness of the world were shining in her wonderful eyes. A miracle, a true miracle she was, a pure brilliant jewel that was granted to him by the gods. He wondered what he had done to deserve this miracle and doubted whether he had really deserved it. At last he breathed deeply and made himself say what he was going to say for so long.

- Then, Yuzuriha-san... I'm very glad to have you now near me. I've really missed you, and I would never want to be parted from you again. I'd be the happiest man in the world if you… Will you… marry me?

Yuzuriha froze silent. Kusanagi quickly added:

- I know, it must've been a wrong time… Sorry to…

He broke in a half-word when Yuzuriha, tears in her eyes, quickly put the flower pot on the bench besides her and threw herself into his arms. He embraced her carefully, like a precious porcelain doll.

- Yuzuriha-san…

The young woman raised her head, wiped her tears away and nodded.

- Yes.  
- Yes?  
- I will marry you. Right now, this very minute if you want to, because I love you more than anything in the world and I want to be with you for eternity! – She embraced him tightly, as if in fear that something might tear him away from her.  
- Yuzuriha-san... – He closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of her hair. All the words seem to have died in his throat.  
- Just Yuzuriha! – She broke their embrace and jumped up, pulling Kusanagi by the hand. He put his arms around her tenderly. And though for a kiss one of them had to rise on her tiptoes, and another - to bow down, such small things did not bother them at all.

The gray dog Inuki that was lying near the bench, waved its tail and seemed to be smiling. A white feather appeared from nowhere and, spinning, smoothly fell down on the park alley.

THE END

In the X TV series Kusanagi uses to address Yuzuriha _"ojou-chan"_ - "Missy", in a sort of patronizing tone.


End file.
